Updated flash player and these adobe installed macafee crapware without even asking!!!! How can they do that? Why would they do that? Why do they want to piss off someone especially a customer! They have made me a totally RELUCTANT customer now.

during the installation there should have been an opt-out check box (see screenshot)

it's possible you overlooked this screen? or did you uncheck and the installation still went through? or did you happen to try another alternative and mcafee was installed? if alternative, would you explain the steps you took to get to that state? thanks...

I also had this happen a few days ago. It's impossible to point to the page, because the process initiated from an auto-alert when I restarted my computer. I have noticed this McAfee default download before and was alert for it. I did not see the usual option box. When the download began and I saw McAfee included, I aborted the process and began again, once again not seeing the option to avoid it.

I went ahead and allowed Flash to install, then because I already have the non-Mcaffee suite of my choice installed, I immediately uninstalled Mcafee, then had to restart my computer.

As much as I appreciate Flash (and miss it on my iPad!), I don't appreciate this heavy-handed approach.

When I clicked on this, it began the installation process, with the usual permission process. However it warns that it isn't going to install the latest version. So, I quit. But this is the way my update process always begins, with an alert in the upper left allowing the option of forgetting it, delaying, or proceeding.

I realize that's an old version. I do have the most current one. My point was that the auto-update function does not point to a webpage, so we can't show you where the menu is that does not include the option of excluding the very unwelcome installation of McAfee, which could jeopardize our current security system.

I was just trying to read a new article, it said I needed the newest Adobe to read it, I downloaded it and I got a free version of McAfee with no ability to opt out. The places that are giving us the link are to blame if they are not updating the link. I have been baffled how I could get McAfee without ever downloading it, and I finally found out today. Hopefully, Adobe can help get these sites to redirect to the correct and most up to date software.

Are there security issues with downloading Flash Player?

While there is always risk when you view websites and download information on the web, Adobe has taken extensive steps to virtually eliminate this risk when downloading the update from Adobe.com. The Flash Player update is downloaded over a secure connection, and Adobe thoroughly checks each update to help ensure it is safe for customers to download before it is posted. In addition, the auto-update mechanism only allows the update to be downloaded from Adobe.com.

In some cases, the new version of Flash Player that you are downloading includes enhancements that give your computer additional protection when browsing the web.

In my book that as much as admits that you may be forcing it on us. It says nothing about opting out... What is the official Adobe spin control on this?

This official Adobe statement supports what I said about auto-updates coming to my computer FROM ADOBE. We don't need to give you links. You should have them.

Please check the facts. I'm willing to believe that your employer may not be dealing you all the cards in the deck or giving you straight, unvarnished Truth, but that's all I want to hear. Enough of the corporate innocence act.

You will not receive a third party install without being given the chance to opt out first. Our silent auto update service will never install a third party application.

As for the sentence you quoted:

"In some cases, the new version of Flash Player that you are downloading includes enhancements that give your computer additional protection when browsing the web."

This refers to enhancements and security fixes that are include in Flash Player code. Not third party utilities.

My facts are checked, no corporate innocence act. I'm very aware that third party utilities are a touchy subject with some users and have made sure to relay this sentiment to our team. If you find a third party website that causes Flash Player to be installed along with a third party utility, and you did not have the ability to opt out of additional installs, please give me the URL and I'll make sure we contact the website asap.

No, I don't think that is true. From the firefox plug-in updater, the installer downloads. Clicking to run the installer doesn't offer a checkbox, and the installation completes without further input.

I am accustomed to getting update prompts on another computer, and getting the option to decline garbage software - which would be easy to miss in a hurry, and should be done as an opt-in rather than an opt-out, however even that didn't happen in this case.

You repeatedly ask for referring URLs. Sometimes, by the time we realize what happened, we don't remember or are unable to find the referring URL. Sometimes the link comes from an update notice on our computer and there is no referring URL. I've had it happen both ways.

I don't want to sound like a broken record, but you should be seeing a page that looks similar to this (the yellow highlight around the third party offer was added by me)

If you don't see this page first, and are instead just brought to a download page that automatically starts downloading an installer that contains third party software, I want to know so I can go find it and look into removing it.

I understand the sentiment regarding these offers. The fact is is that Flash Player is a free product and these offers (which should only be given on the get.adobe.com site) help produce revenue to offset our ongoing development costs.

If you've opted into our automatic update services, you will receive a notification within seven days of a regularly scheduled update (eg. 11.4). This allows you to review the changes we've made and if you'd like to immediately download the player, you will be taken to our download page (which contains the optional software.) Its perfectly fine to postpone the update if you want. In that case, Flash Player will be silently updated on your system in 30 days or when a zero day vulnerability fix is made available, whichever comes first.

From now on I will then be vigilant in monitoring exactly how it comes and will take screen shots if I am quick enough.

From my memory I got a popup screen which reminded “update available” which I accepted, it then went to the screen (mentioned in the forum message that I wrote) and I don’t have UAC enabled so it all got installed.

It sounds from your description that you believe I did not read the full screen, with me just accepting adobe as a trusted entity. I however do not think this was the case, although I did accept the popup as it was trusted by me. However time will tell..

I am very open to helping in this situation.

You should understand my personal situation I have been using computers since the early 1970’s, I have had bad results with McAfee, I will never use them again. The only reason I registered on the Adobe site was to make that one complaint, that complaint was not really against Adobe except to complain that McAfee had got into my computer without my knowledge on the back of an Adobe update. I suggest you let people Optin with an Optin box, instead of forcing them to search everything for an Optout box.

My virus software found the virus Trojan.JS.Redirector.ARU on my Computer. I found following information about it:

Trojan:JS/Redirector.AR is a malicious JavaScript inserted into Web pages by an attacker. The trojan script checks for the presence of Adobe Flash Player and Microsoft Office Web Components, redirecting the user to other Web pages that may exploit the vulnerabilities of Adobe Flash Player and MS Office Web Components.

Is get3.adobe.com a real adobe site? If its not, its better you check your computer for malicious software! And somehow the message I get to update Adobe was looking different then the message I get usually. Maybe it came from the virus?

I'm on Chrome. Flash player 11 was already installed and this looks like a browser plugin update (or install, I can't be sure right now)...

Never was I offered an opt out screen nor was I redirected to any page. All I saw was a flash update notification and a button to start this silent update. All of a sudden the McAfee trash was already in.

We have three laptop/pc here all running WIN7 Chrome with Flashplayer, all three are in different flashplayer states I don;t really know why, I have taken a screenshot of each status. The pc which was in the lead and subject to mcafee infiltration is operated a a main computer, the other two, one operated by me occasionally and the other one by my wife daily,

I am seeking a way to get the update notice to appear without forcing an update myself. All are set to 7 days autoupdate checking. Is there some site that when searched for on chrome that might trigger an update to occur before the 7 day timer checks?

@duartix - Thank you for the feedback, I will pass this along to the team. I'm curious, where did you download the Flash Player update from? Did it occur after being prompted by Flash Player that an update was available? I'm trying to understand and figure out if there are sites that link to the installers that include the third party software without letting the user opt out.

When being prompted with the update dialog, please note that you have the option to decline. After 30 days (or sooner if a zero day security update is made available) Flash Player will automatically, and silently, update itself to the latest version so you won't have to take any additional action.

As you have Chrome, is it possible that you were logged in and can access the history feature and pinpoint the sites that may have triggered the update, then I can visit the sites on each of my three pc;s.

When I launch the file, it automatically starts downloading McAfee with the update. I cancelled the process. Hopefully this can be resolved soon. Also, your advice to do a clean install was a good idea.

The first is the plugin page, with the opt out of the third party software. The second is the actual download that included the McAfee software. It appears, if I'm looking at the history correctly, that you just didn't uncheck the checkbox.

I've had to uninstall mcafee now over 20 times. I was allowing users to do their own flash updates (my bad? I didn't think Adobe would be spreading crapware) Now I have to block Adobe flash updates from my users? Good job adobe, the first so-called reputable software maker to start bundling crapware into your updates. Hope the $$$ macafee paid you was worth losing all credibility. Maybe Apple's got the right idea looking for alternatives.

Chris be calm and read this slowly, you are in for a surprise, in the first of the two links you gave in your reply to duartix at 27-Aug-2012 16:38, you say the link is to the plugin page with the opt out of the third party software. Your statement is not correct. The link does not give any chance to opt out and I have all the screen shots to prove it.

EDIT: Removed link to pdf that showed screenshots to the download page and included a link to the installer. There was nothing wrong with this content, but I wanted to make sure that we didn't have anyone accidentally install something they didn't want. - Chris

Now that I have proved it I have re-read the forum and note the file names and web pages that others are giving and it all ties to the same thing.

You must actually click on the link yourself and then understand exactly what it does.

The piece of crap auto-install from Flash popped up a download from your site in my Firefox and after running automatically downloaded and installed McAfee WITHOUT my permission too.

If Adobe is not going to be respecting people's rights in terms of downloading and installing software of their choice, there are avenues to take action against Adobe - I suggest you sort out your download procedure, before someone does this.

It's not a surprise Flash is taking a dive into obscurity, when Adobe starts to treat customers like this and install software without permission. This auto-install of McAfee crap-ware is making me reconsider having Flash installed on my machine. In fact from now on I'm going to be doing my hardest to convince any client NOT to use Flash as a platform for their digital work!